For Braxton Miller and No. 7 Ohio State, the Heisman could be their championship trophy.

The Buckeyes' quarterback has grown up fast in Urban Meyer's spread offense. A sophomore in his second season as a starter, Miller is averaging 311 yards total offense per game (16th best in the nation), including 130 a game on the ground (seventh in the nation).

He has accounted for 20 touchdowns, and carried the Buckeyes and their shoddy defense to a 7-0 record. They might be the best team in unimpressive Big Ten, but because Ohio State did not self-impose a bowl ban last year -- before the NCAA handed down punishments for the memorabilia-for-tattoos scandal -- the Buckeyes' 2012 season will end with the Michigan game on Nov. 24.

Advertisement

While conference and national championships are off the table, the Heisman is very much in play.

"I would have no problem putting Braxton Miller on my Heisman ballot," said Mark Snyder from the Detroit Free Press. "He still plays the games, still has to perform at the level worthy of the award and he had nothing to do with the reason the Buckeyes are sanctioned."

There is also precedent for a player on a bowl-banned team winning the Heisman. Houston quarterback Andre Ware did it in 1989, when he threw for 4,699 yards, 44 touchdowns while directing the Cougars and their run-and-shoot offense to a 9-2 season in the Southwest Conference.

Chris Huston, a Heisman historian who runs www.Heismanpundit.com and does a weekly straw poll of 11 voters, said the sanctions might even work to Miller's advantage with voters.

"They might credit him for keeping the program afloat in tough times," Huston said.

Miller is a close third behind West Virginia's Geno Smith and Kansas State's Collin Klein in the straw poll released Tuesday.

The biggest problem the postseason ban poses for Miller is it keeps him and the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten title game on the final Saturday before Heisman ballots are due.

In recent years, the final weekend of games has become a time for closing arguments in the Heisman race. The last four Heisman winners all played, and played well, during what has become known as championship weekend.

Miller won't play at all, which could provide an opportunity for another contender to make a decisive final impression.

Maybe the most fascinating part of Miller's Heisman candidacy, though, is the way it will be treated by Ohio State.

Meyer has tried to subtly to downplay Miller's Heisman-worthiness, while still talking up his guy.

"I think he's one of those freaks of nature that has a lot of ability and great things can happen to him," Meyer said back in September. "But there won't be billboards posted anywhere or anything like that."

Last week, the message changed a bit.

"I don't think Braxton's a Heisman candidate right now," Meyer said. "I think he's certainly to watch. He's got the ability. But then again, I don't know who is. We're only halfway through the season. In about two or three games I think you can start talking about that. I'm not talking to Braxton about it. We're trying to win some games, so ...

"I think at the right time, he will be a candidate if he continues to play very well."

Coaches with championships to play for don't delve that deeply into Heisman questions in October.

But Meyer understands that if Miller can make a serious run at the big bronze statue, and get an invite to New York city for the awards ceremony on Dec. 8, it keeps the Buckeyes in the headlines even though they won't be preparing for a bowl game.

And what's better to add to a trophy case, anyway, a Heisman Trophy or whatever they give you for winning an Outback Bowl?